Intellectual Property

The Canine Communicators has created its own terminology to describe the unique training systems that have been under constant development since 1996. All technique names and phrases have been fully documented within the prolific writing of Greg Fontana (Training Director – Alpha Dog Training, Boarding School For Dogs & Alpha Canine Professional) since their introduction into the Lifestyle Canine Communication System (LCCS).

As Training Director and an active full-time professional dog trainer, it has been Greg's role to guide and thoroughly document the development of all facets of the training systems, including the Alpha Professional Trainer's Course, The "Pattern Learning" Training Method and all advertising literature describing our services. George Visentin, Head Trainer and co-founder of Alpha Dog Training has also had an enormous amount of input into the development, application and assessment of the many aspects of the LCCS. He has been hands-on from the very beginning, forging and then protecting the high standards set for Alpha Dog Training as the system has developed.

Greg has also developed the Canine Leadership System for use in boarding school and private tuition applications. His hands-on approach to research and development whilst actively training and rehabilitating dogs and then teaching thier owners has also allowed him to formulate an exciting behavioural modification system known as: Canine Good Behaviour Shaping.

The terminology used within the systems has come about through a necessity to accurately describe new and exciting techniques, structures, strategies, theories and principles. The consistent and exciting results gained from the businesses within the Canine Communicators have provided the drive to continue exploring uncharted ideas, ideals, standards and overall training concepts.

It should be understood that the elaborate, "synergistic" design of these training systems has from the very beginning been to self perpetuate creative change in line with the increased results in all areas of dog training and good behaviour shaping. These results affect everything from training techniques and class structures to instructor training and customer relations.

At the Canine Communicators, we don’t copy… we create, refine and innovate!

Any techniques that were adopted from previous influences when we started (1996) have

almost universally followed a process of total change, adaptation or deletion!

To that end, it can be totally assured that the explanation of all terminology and its true synergistic relationship within the greater system would expose a virtual labyrinth of connections that are the result of much deliberate thought and purpose – everything is linked together and any one concept or technique is not complete on its own... especially out of context. Nothing is named for the sake of being different and nothing is copied... there is absolute method and very clear direction to the creativity that is taking place at every level of system development. On the surface, some things may look the same, but as many trainers external to Alpha Dog Training and Boarding School For Dogs (locally, nationally and internationally) have found on visiting and actually seeing and discussing our approach to training, it is very different indeed!

Below is a list of the terminology developed within The Canine Communicators - It is all subject to ©copyright by the author!

Documentation and of the system/s development & terminology are sourced from these main areas:

Professional Dog Trainer's Reference Manual – 8th Edition 200 pages.
Lifestyle canine Communication System


Each edition has been fully updated to keep up with the rapid development of both the overall training system and the training method itself. All terms relating to obedience handling, class structures, instruction techniques, canine behavioural modification techniques & strategies, customer service and relations, canine behaviour and psychology have been documented in detail since 1996.



119 issues of "Pack" News (January 97 - January 08) – Alpha's monthly newsletter which is currently 12 - 20 pages.


These newsletters have included over 83 detailed and informative training and behaviour articles (1 – 5 pages each individual article – total pages: 240) covering important concepts relevant to the training system. These articles not only trace the development of training techniques and strategies, but also document general ideas and ideals relevant to the times they were written. Variations on any of these themes have been upgraded as changes have taken place.



100 page member's book produced in 1999 – full of articles, history and overview of Alpha's services at that time.





Alpha Dog Training Website – Full overview of history, System, Method and Services.





Alpha Boarding Kennels Website – Full overview of kennels services





Boarding School For Dogs – Full overview of Boarding School For Dogs courses and testimonials.





The Alpha Canine Professional Website: Full overview of professional dog training and handling courses





The Canine Communicators' Website: Creating Service Synergy for Alpha Dog Training, Boarding School For Dogs, Alpha Canine Professional & Alpha Boarding Kennels





Advertising and publicity material – everything from business cards and yellow pages advertisements to brochures and the current 16 page colour "Alpha Info" booklet – 20 page pdf version.





The "Ideas File" (Alpha & Boarding School) – Huge file containing assorted writing and note taking detailing past, current and future training and behavioural modification concepts.





Collection of audio files – dictated by Training Director as reference material for book on the development and application of training that works in real time scenarios & "Good Behaviour Shaping".





Countless hours of canine obedience training, behaviour and system development video footage – includes full-time courses held for overseas pupils.





Promotional DVD (currently in 1st edit)





Boarding School For Dogs Owner's Reference Manual





The Canine Leadership System Reference Manual – 1st Edition 150 pages

Training & Behaviour Articles:

©Greg Fontana (Training Director)

Lifestyle Dog Obedience Training. 1996

Socialisation. 1997

Improve Your Dog's Recall. 1997

Dangerous Dogs! 1997

The Control Pole. 1997

They Need Our Help! 1997

The Release Command. 1997

Kids And Dogs. 1997

Random Practice. 1997

Summertime And Dogs. 1997

Praising And Correcting Your Dogs –

Positive and negative reinforcement.

1997

Timing: When to Praise And Correct Your Dog. 1997

Practice Tips For The New Year Break. 1997

Tips Of The Trade –

Summertime considerations.

1997

Canine Communication Course –

For intermediate obedience and above.

1997

A Dog Is For Christmas –

Comment on a sad situation/Poem.

1997

Training Mindset –

How to approach training and what to expect from your dog – It's all about understanding.

1998

Dominance Behaviour –

The misunderstood and often overlooked canine behaviour!

1998

Rewarding Your Dog –

How to get the most out of your release command.

1998

Effective Training At The Training Centre –

How to get the most out of your time at Alpha.

1998

The New Puppy – From The World News

The lighter side of the puppy experience.

1998

Random Training –

Alpha Dog Training Class Structures.

1998

"Lifestyle Canine Communication System" –

Formally "Lifestyle Dog Obedience Training System" (a change of focus)

1998

Problem Dogs –

We need to look at more than the dogs.

1998

Dogs In The News –

Comment on recent dog bites and Schutzhund Training in court.

1998

Great Christmas Gift Ideas... For Your Dogs –

Try it, it's great fun!

1998

Been There, Done That!

All our dogs are the same, it's the training and canine understanding that makes the real difference in the end!

1999

Interactive Tuition. 1999

Canine Communication In The Home –

How to effectively apply the skills and principles learned in your obedience classes back in the home environment!

1999

Be Prepared! –

Pointers for shaping your dog's behaviour... and training in general.

1999

"Pattern Learning" –

Simple Consistency!

1999

"All I Want Is A Dog That Comes Back When It's Called!" –

There's a lot more to getting your dog to come back than just... calling your dog!

1999

More On Recalling Your Dog –

A few pointers for a reliable recall form distraction!

1999

What Does Alpha Class As A Well Trained Dog? –

From the feedback I receive from our customers, I think we're all after the same thing.

1999

Alpha Rules Expanded 1999

Why Obedience Train Your Dog? –

Control, Understanding and... COMMUNICATION!

1999

Understanding "Critical Distance" –

A key element in any socialisation strategy!

1999

A Few Tips And Tricks –

Obedience applications to help your dog understand "CONTROL"

1999

Make The Most of Alpha's "Interactive Tuition" 1999

Meeting The New Family –

Bringing your pup home for the first time.

2000

No More Nipping! –

Teaching puppies not to bite.

2000

Obedience Training –

It's all about teaching our pups to listen!

2000

How To Praise And Reward your Dog –

The key to reliable obedience commands!

2000

How Obedience Training Relates To Canine Behavioural Modification –

Leadership for our dogs based on undersdtanding!

2000

Alpha Dog Training –

The shape of things to come!

2000

Obedience For All Occassions –

Teaching our dogs to "GENERALISE" their obedience commands!

2000

Alpha's Professional Dog Trainer's Course (overview) 2000

How Long Will It Take To Train My Dog? –

Or, how long is a piece of string?

2000

The Humble Sit –

How well does your dog know it's commands?

2000

Dog Watching –

The antics they get up to.

2000

A Dog's Day On A Film Set –

Dog Woman (1,2 & 3), The Saddle Club, The Missing, Nike commercial... plus more!

2000

Big "M" –

In memory of "Emma" - The gentle and loving giant.

2000

How To Take the Lead In Dog Training –

Correct handling skills and leadership make the dog training process 'easier'.

2001

The "PERFECT" Position –

A simple concept aimed at keeping our handling skills consistent.

2001

The Positive/Negative "Contrast Effect" –

Shaping our dog's responses in obedience and behaviour modification.

2001

Is Your Dog Listening? –

Obedience training has relevance far beyond the exercises you teach your dogs!

2001

Alpha Dog Training's Professional Dog Trainer's Course –

More detailed overview for 2002 course.

2001

Ideals And Aspirations –

The history and development of Alpha Dog Training (5 yrs so far).

1998

Understanding Mistakes In Obedience Training –

There's more to training mistakes than often meets the eye. We play an important role in helping our dogs to get it right!

2002

Look Beyond Obedience Classes For A Well Trained Dog –

It's not just what you do in class that makes a well trained dog, in fact, that's just preparation for good behaviour everywhere else!

2002

The release Command (revisited) 1997/2002

Training Your Dog At Home –

Taking the skills learned at training and successfully applying them in the home environment.

2002

Getting Used To The Head Halter –

It's more than just 'power steering' for your dog!

2003

Alpha Dog Training's Professional Dog Trainer's Course –

Even more detailed overview for 2003 course.

2003

Is Your Dog Well Trained Or Well Behaved? –

Great obedience should equate to good behaviour in general!

2004

Training And Behaviour –

A little bit of perspective!

2004

Perspective On Practice –

It's not just how much you do, it's how well you do it! Your dog's progress is totally reliant on you!

2004

Simple Practice Strategies –

A little bit of practice here and there really makes a difference!

2005

The Circle Correction – A consistent, positive and recognisable process that helps our dogs learn! (Part One) –

History and development.

2005

The Circle Correction – A consistent, positive and recognisable process that helps our dogs learn! (Part Two) –

Application in obedience training.

2005

The Circle Correction – A consistent, positive and recognisable process that helps our dogs learn! (Part Three) –

Application in behavioural modification.

2005

Total Recall – Teaching your dog to come back when called, from distraction, has many implications for the overall dog/owner relationship! (Part One)

Defining the common problems with recalling your dog.

2005

Total Recall – Teaching your dog to come back when called, from distraction, has many implications for the overall dog/owner relationship! (Part Two)

Follow the leader – Essential Leadership concepts promote reliable recalls.

2005

Total Recall – Teaching your dog to come back when called, from distraction, has many implications for the overall dog/owner relationship! (Part Three)

Solutions – By understanding the problem, we can now solve the problem.

2005

Adopting A Dog –

The key to introducing a new dog successfully into your home, especially one that is adopted from a shelter or previous owner, is to be prepared!

2005

The Rules Of Engagement –

Who controls the greetings after an absence, your or your dog?

2006

The SPLIT SYSTEM Class Structure –

Revolutionising the way owners learn to train their dogs!

2006

The CONTROL ZONE –

Your dog is either under your control... or it's not!

2006

Dog Watching (Part 1, Obedience) –

Vital communication for effective obedience training and "Good Behaviour" Shaping techniques!

2006

Dog Watching (Part 2, Behaviour Shaping) –

Vital communication for effective obedience training and "Good Behaviour" Shaping techniques!

2006

Dog Watching (Part 3, Common Applications) –

Vital communication for effective obedience training and "Good Behaviour" Shaping techniques!

2007

Canine Good Behaviour Shaping –

Bridging the gap between obedience and behaviour shaping - Full Day Seminars – an overview

2007

Alpha Dog Training – 10 Years Old –

The first ten years

2007

Intellectual Property For:

Lifestyle Canine Communication System

Specifically developed for weekly obedience classes by Alpha Dog Training.

The Canine Leadership System

Developed for boarding and training and private tuition - teaching and training applications by Boarding School For Dogs.

A product of R&Dactive

Below is specific terminology developed and used within the systems. Certain items have been left on the list even though they have been made obsolete because they have been part of the overall development process.

"Lifestyle Obedience Training"

– used to describe our training methods and progressive approach to obedience and behaviour shaping from the beginning back in 1996. In recent times (2000+), others have started to copy this training classification/description (as a catchy name), but everything in this document indicates the true depth behind our pioneering approach and absolute, dedicated focus to "lifestyle" training:

Obedience Training (handling) Techniques:

• The "Pattern Learning" Training Method (LCCS + CLS)
• "Perfect" Position (LCCS + CLS)
• Short Loose Lead (LCCS + CLS)
• "Step-aways" (stay) (LCCS)
• Backwards Drop (LCCS + CLS)
• The "Check" command (LCCS)
• Flip Recall (LCCS)
• The Circle Correction (CLS)
• The Crossways Correction (CLS)
• The "Canine Communication Course" (Intermediate +) (LCCS)
• The "Holding Pattern" (CLS)

Obedience Training Theory:

• The "Pattern Learning" Training Method (LCCS + CLS)
• "Perfect" Position (LCCS + CLS)
• The Three "Ds" (LCCS + CLS)
• Situation Creation, Regroup & Retry, The Positive Outcome (CLS)

Obedience Instruction Techniques:

• The Real-life Obedience Challenges (LCCS)
• Interactive Tuition (LCCS)
• The "Basic Ideal" (LCCS) now obsolete
• The "Intermediate Ideal" (LCCS) now obsolete
• The "Advanced Ideal" (LCCS)
• The "Puppy Communication Ideal" (LCCS)
• Alpha Integrated Distraction training (LCCS)
• 5 Skills – The Art of Teaching (LCCS + CLS)

Class Structures & Content:

• The Alpha Random Training Principles (LCCS)
  "Random Formation", "Random Command", "Random Release", "Random Practice"
• Application of "Critical Distance" in class structures (LCCS)
• The Alpha "Split System" Class Structures (LCCS)
• "Puppy Communication Sessions" (for Veterinary hospitals):
  Development of class structure and teaching techniques (LCCS)
• "Puppy Communication Sessions" (for Alpha Dog Training):
  Development of class structure and teaching techniques (LCCS)

Canine Behaviour & Psychology Theory:

• The Reinforcement Contrast Effect (LCCS + CLS)
• The "Transition" Phase (CLS)
• The "Communication" Phase (LCCS + CLS)
• The Prompting & Shaping relationship within obedience handling. (LCCS + CLS)
• Canine Aggression – a collection of 7 detailed documents outlining description, cause and solutions (LCCS + CLS)
• The "Behaviour Interrupt" Principle (CLS)

Canine Behavioural Modification (Rehabilitation) Strategies:

• CANINE GOOD BEHAVIOUR SHAPING System (CGBS) - (CLS)
• The "Rules of Engagement" – how to greet your dog! (CLS)
• The Quadrants of CGBS (CLS)
• The Canine Leadership Challenges (CLS)
• The Undesirable Canine Behaviour Ranking Process (CLS)
• The "Gap/Link" Theory (CLS)
• The Effective Canine Behavioural Modification Process... 6 step strategy to successful canine behavioural change! (CLS)
• The Three "Cs" – Clear Canine Communication (CLS)
• Situation Creation, Regroup & Retry, The Positive Outcome (CLS)

Behavioural Modification Techniques:

• The "Controlled Jumping" modification exercises (CLS)
• The "Controlled Doorway" exercises (CLS)
• The "Invitation Only" exercises (CLS)
• The "Dare You" set-up techniques (CLS)

Common phrases/concepts used within the systems:

• Canine Communication – the development of common language between owner/dog
• Lifestyle Obedience Training (total focus since 1996)
• Obedience language sets precedence for behaviour shaping language
• Lead By Example
• Training "Under Distraction"
• Boarding School For Dogs (registered business name since Feb 1999)
  ...plus much, much more!
• R&Dactive
• Service Synergy

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© Copyright Greg Fontana, Training Director, Canine Communicators, 2008. This website was created by Ladybug®.